MS and dementia

Research looked at the prevalence of dementia in people with different autoimmune conditions admitted to hospital between 1998 and 2012. Several conditions were associated with dementia and people with MS had nearly double the risk.

Progression risk factors

A study assessed 155 people at baseline and again five years later. Participants were aged over 50 and had had relapsing remitting MS for 15 years or more. After five years, a third had developed secondary progressive MS. People most likely to progress were older, had more disability at the start of the study and had fatigue, weakness and/or leg spasms

Horses as therapy

A review of previous studies of therapeutic horse riding and hippotherapy in people with a range of conditions (including three studies in MS) found that the approaches had significant positive impact. Individual studies suggested benefit for a range of issues including balance, posture, gait and quality of life, though pooled data showed more ambivalent outcomes.